In its Report on Discharge in Respect of the Implementation of the General Budget of the European Union for the Financial Year 2023, Section III – Commission, Executive Agencies and the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh European Development Funds, the European Parliament, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Budgetary Control, adopted several resolutions addressing concerns related to antisemitism and the misuse of EU funds.
Among these, the Parliament strongly condemned textbooks produced by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which were found to contain antisemitic content and material inciting hatred and violence. With overwhelming support, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a resolution stating that EU funds to the PA should be frozen “on the condition that textbook content is aligned with UNESCO standards, that all antisemitic references are deleted, and that examples which incite to hatred and violence are removed.”
In a separate resolution, the Parliament urged the PA to “remove all educational materials and content that fail to adhere to UNESCO standards by the next school year, in particular those that contain antisemitism.”
These positions were part of the annual budget discharge procedure, which examines how EU taxpayer funds have been spent and ensures accountability in external funding. In addition to addressing educational materials, the Parliament also adopted a resolution emphasising that “no Union funds are allocated to individuals or organisations linked to any kind of terrorist movements.” In this context, the resolution noted that several UNRWA employees were reportedly involved in the 7 October 2023 terrorist attack.
Acknowledging the importance of ensuring the neutrality and reliability of humanitarian partners, the resolution called on the Commission “to also make full use of trusted partners, such as the WHO, WFP, UNICEF or different Red Crescent organisations,” in delivering aid to the Palestinian population. It further highlighted the need for independent controls over UNRWA by external experts, the European Court of Auditors, and experienced international partners.
The Parliament noted that the European Commission had been working closely with UNRWA in recent months to enhance neutrality mechanisms and internal control systems, in line with the findings of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) regarding the alleged involvement of 19 UNRWA staff members in the 7 October attacks. It welcomed the steps taken to monitor the application of UNRWA’s action plan, based on recommendations issued by the Independent Review Group led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
In April 2024, an exchange of letters between Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi and UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini established an agreement regarding the conditional resumption of EU assistance. This agreement included clear milestones under three work streams: screening of UNRWA staff, an audit by the European Union, and the strengthening of UNRWA’s Department of Internal Investigations and Ethics Office.
Furthermore, the Parliament reiterated the necessity for the Palestinian Authority to remove all educational materials and content that fail to meet UNESCO standards by the next academic year, especially those containing antisemitism—as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition, which is endorsed by the European Union—as well as incitement to violence, hate speech, and the glorification of terrorism. It recalled provisions of previous discharge resolutions, stressing that EU financial support to the PA in the field of education must remain conditional on the removal of such content.
The resolution also recalled the findings of the Georg Eckert Institute report, funded by the EU, which offered a nuanced analysis of Palestinian textbooks. While noting that the EU does not directly fund Palestinian textbooks—and that these are not the responsibility of UNRWA—the Parliament acknowledged UNRWA’s efforts to review all issued textbooks and address problematic content.
Finally, the European Commission committed to maintaining rigorous scrutiny to ensure that no EU funds are allocated—either directly or indirectly—to the drafting, teaching, or dissemination of educational materials containing antisemitism or hate speech, including through United Nations organisations
Through the “discharge procedure”, the European Parliament exercises democratic oversight over the budget’s implementation, holding the Commission and other EU institutions accountable for the management and disbursement of EU funds.
Based on reports from the Commission and the European Court of Auditors (ECA), the Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) reviews the financial management of the EU budget in a given financial year, considers irregularities and holds hearings with the relevant officials. Refusal of discharge can result in remedial action, stricter financial controls, or political consequences.
